"all of a kind"

We want you to know we’re aware of some of the bugs on the site (it’s part of the process) and have the world’s most highly skilled developers and programmers working round the clock to resolve them . We’re all working hard , because we need Ollibean as much as you do.

So, fear not, faithful Ollibeaners, in a couple of short months we will have a bigger, badder, new and improved Ollibean. All because of you!

Our community, those of us living with and involved with diffabilities, is one of the most dedicated and innovative groups in the world. We’re excellent at holding people to a high standard – we have to be. We’re beyond expert at filling out forms- goes with the territory. So, as far as beta testers go, Ollibean is golden.

One issue that was happening with our community piece (it is very robust and complex due to the volume of content) was the inability to see and connect with all of the other users easily. We are on it. In the meantime, if you have any questions about how to use the site, check out our F.A.Q. .

We also heard you about the speed of the site, in fact, we’re right there with you. It’s getting faster every day, and until it’s up to the lightening speed that we all want, you could take the few seconds your waiting to practice counting to five in Mandarin.

We were totally blown away at how many of you found us, friends telling friends (thanks FB and Twitter!) out there spreading the word . To get this kind of response, further affirms our belief that we are a community of sharers. We like some thing, we let each other know.

We’re making it easier to connect on Ollibean, literally and figuratively. Through the platform our amazingly talented team built (and are tweaking as we speak) you’ll be able to easily connect with that person across the country, even on the other side of the planet, based on shared interest in diffability related content.

We know how much we all have in common, how much we learn from other parents, self-advocates, advocates, kids and professionals. We know that instant connection we have with others who are searching for answers about how to be the best parent to a child whose body happens to work a bit differently, but no less spectacularly.

We don’t need to share a diagnosis in order to learn from and support each other. We see this everyday in our relationships with families whose children all have totally different abilities.  Every complex, beautiful kid you see on “Ollibean Spotlight” are dear family friends .We all have completely different strengths and challenges, some of ours might be easier to see, but we all have them.We are connected, connected in a way that is hard to explain if you haven’t lived it. We have. We get it and know how important that connection is.

We’re connected the minute we start talking, typing or signing . Actually, often we’re connected with a glance across a waiting room or a smile in the grocery store.

We know how much we have in common with Jane, the mom in Seattle, who wonders , just like we do in Tampa, how much therapy is too much therapy? What’s worked best and is fun, too? We’re connected.

The Brown family three blocks away, whose child has been through heart surgery and can let you and your child know what you might expect. We’re connected.

The young boy, Krishna, who lives in a remote village in Nepal, who just wants to be allowed to go to school with his brothers and sisters, just like Alicia in Los Angeles does. We’re connected.

The rock stars of self-advocacy, Tracy Thresher and Larry Bissonnette can mentor and teach young self advocates and  their families from Vermont to Tokyo just as they forever changed the life of  a young boy, Henry and his family in Tampa. We are connected.

The educators, therapists and doctors all over the world, have so much in common and are learning so much from each other. Their shared desire to help kids whose bodies may need extra supports . This shared passion is as strong and powerful in Boston as it is in Brazil.

And, while we love thinking globally and acting locally. We have seen the benefits, for our community in particular, of acting locally and connecting globally. The diffability community is the largest minority in the world. Time to connect, learn, and change the world together. And we’re going to have fun while were doing it.

All of a kind,

Lauri and the Ollibean Team